Ski Patrol

Beaver Creek is committed to promoting skier safety. In addition to people using traditional alpine ski equipment, you may be joined on the slopes by snowboarders, telemark skiers or cross-country skiers, skiers with disabilities, skiers with specialized equipment, and others. Always show courtesy to others and be aware that there are elements of risk in skiing and snowboarding that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce. Know your ability level and stay within it. Observe “Your Responsibility Code” listed below and share with other skiers the responsibility for a great skiing experience.

Always stay in control and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.

People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.

You must not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.

Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.

Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.

Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.

Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.

Be advised that Beaver Creek Resort does not mark all potential obstacles or hazards. When marked, poles, flags, fencing, signage, padding or other forms of marking are used to inform the skier/rider of the location of a potential obstacle or hazard. These markers are no guarantee of your safety. It is part of your responsibility under the Your Responsibility Code and the Colorado Ski Safety Act to avoid all obstacles and hazards.

COLORADO SKI SAFETY ACT

The Colorado legislature, recognizing risks that are inherent in the sport, has passed the Colorado Ski Safety Act which provides inherent risks of the sport and relative responsibilities of the skier; and the ski area. You must obey the Act. Under the Act, any person using the facilities of a ski area is considered a skier. A summary of the inherent risks is listed below:
WARNING

Under Colorado law, a skier assumes the risk of any injury to person or property resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing and may not recover from any ski area operator for any injury resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing, including: changing weather conditions; existing and changing snow conditions; bare spots; rocks; stumps; trees; collisions with natural objects, man-made objects, or other skiers; variations in terrain; and the failure of skiers to ski within their own abilities.

The Ski Safety Act was amended in 2004 to include CLIFFS, EXTREME TERRAIN, JUMPS, AND FREESTYLE TERRAIN as inherent dangers and risks of the sport.

Skiers and Riders should be advised that a green circle, blue square, or black diamond trail at Beaver Creek is not necessarily the same as a green circle, blue square or black diamond trail at other resorts. The system is a relative rating of trails at each resort and does not compare trail difficulty between resorts. Skiers and Riders should begin with the easiest terrain and then move up in difficulty as their ability permits in order to understand the relative rating at Beaver Creek Resort.

EXTREME TERRAIN contains cliffs, very steep slopes as well as rocks and other hazards. Skiing or boarding Extreme Terrain is for EXPERTS ONLY.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES. Vail Resorts strongly discourages the use of electronic devices including cell phones, personal entertainment and communication devices, and any other electronic equipment that utilizes head/ear phones while skiing and snowboarding, or loading and unloading lifts.

LIFT SAFETY. Under Colorado law, you cannot board a lift unless you have sufficient physical dexterity, ability and knowledge to negotiate or to use such lift safely, or until you have asked for and received information sufficient to enable you to use the lift safely. You may not use a lift or any ski trail when under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

CAUTION. Snowcats, snowmobiles and snowmaking may be encountered at any time.

SLOW ZONES. Certain areas (indicated on the map in yellow) are designated as SLOW ZONES. Please observe the posted slow areas by maintaining a speed no faster than the general flow of traffic. Space and speed are especially important in these areas. Fast and aggressive skiing will not
be tolerated.

HELMET USE. Beaver Creek encourages our guests to educate themselves on the benefits and limitations of winter sports helmets. Regardless of whether or not you choose to wear a helmet, every winter sport participant shares responsibility for his or her safety and for that of others using the ski area facilities.

AERIAL DRONES. Recreational drone use by any guest or member of the public, for any reason, is not permitted on or over any Vail Resorts property.

Any employee in uniform is available to assist with safety questions and is empowered to suspend or revoke the skiing or riding privileges of anyone demonstrating reckless or inappropriate behavior.

Uphill Access

UPHILL TRAVEL POLICY. Non-lift access to ski area facilities such as uphill snowshoeing, hiking or "skinning", may present high danger of personal injury to participants or others and therefore may be limited or forbidden based on conditions, on-mountain activity and/or mountain policy.

Please note, fat tire biking and/or mountain biking is prohibited on the mountain during the winter season, both during day time and night time operations. Recommended recreational trails as provided by the USFS below.

- Red Sandstone from the start of the FSR road off the pavement to the gate and the start of grooming at the kiosk approximately .5 miles. At the kiosk / gate is where grooming for ‘Over the Snow Vehicles only’ starts which doesn’t allow bikes.

- Sheephorn Road (County Road 401) for 6 miles.

Any employee in uniform is available to assist with safety questions and is empowered to suspend or revoke the skiing or riding privileges of anyone demonstrating reckless or inappropriate behavior.